Leg resistor runway



June 26, 1956 2. NEDWICK 2,752,155

LEG RESISTOR RUNWAY Filed March 3, 1953 INVENTOR.

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iyvvm r veiednswe shee 2,752,155 LedResistor: RUNWAY 'GlenCove, N. Y. Application March a, 1953, Serial N6.- 340,087 s claims. or. 21s -s'sj The present invention relates to guidewa'ys and run-' ways for athletics and running practice, and especially to what I choose to term a leg resistor runwa The main object of my invention is to provide a special runway or guideway' for runners in which certain predetermined resistance is offered to the legs during running in order to make effort necessary to run a given course, so that the leg" muscles will' become exce'rcised' and hardened, as for example, for football players.

Another object of the invention is to provide a runway that both guides a runner along his course, but also periodically impedes hisprogress, first onpneside and then on the other, in order to aiford well rounded excercise.

A further object is to provide such a special runway that is simple in construction, readily built" at reasonable cost, and etfective in use.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a certain standard of physical attainment for a runner, so that when a given speed of running is reached while running through the runway, he is assured of equal prowess with others with whom or against whom he is to play.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear in further detail as the specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for a proper appreciation of the salient features thereof, the invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a resistance runway for the legs of a runner, made according to the invention and embodying the same in a practical form, a portion being torn out to shorten the view within bounds of the drawing; and

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same resistance runway.

In these views, the same reference numerals indicate the same or like parts.

It is a well known fact that athletes and sports players all require considerable exercise and training for their work, and this is certainly true of football players and runners. Ordinarily, any player of this class will simply run a given distance repeatedly, and depend on that to strengthen his muscles, but this consumes considerable time. It would, of course be desirable to shorten the practice time if possible, while making the exercise not only as eifective as normally, but also setting up some definite standard of physical prowess that can be measured or relied upon as a means of knowing the strength and endurance of any given player.

It has therefore occurred to me, that in order to solve this problem in a direct and simple manner, a special runway should be available along the lines already indicated. As a result, I have succeeded in producing such a resistance runway which I shall now proceed to set forth in detail in the following.

Hence, in the practice of my invention, and referring also again to the drawing, a leg resistance runway embodying the invention, generally indicated at 3 primarily includes-a pair of pa'rallel'top' rails 4 and 5 spaced an appropriate distance apart toallow ample space there between for arunner or'football player indicated at 6 to run at his best'speed'without feeling cramped at-the sides; The topguide r'ail4-has a similar lower guide rail'7 spaced ashort distance below it, while further below and resting on the grounds is a base rail 9, all these rails being parallel'and interconnected into a composite structure by a series of pair's-of upright posts 10, 11,10, 11, etc. In=similar fashion, the top guide rail 5 has a shortdistance below it a second or lower guide rail 12 and further below upon the ground 8 a base rail 13, all three being parallel, withpairs of upright spaced posts 14, 15, 14, 15 etc., serving to unite the rails'into a composite whole.

At each end of the composite rail structure including rails 4, 7 and 9 is an end post, at one end, the post' 16 and atthe other end'post 17', while the opposite composite rail structure including rails 5, 12 and 13 has the end posts 18 and 19. These en'd posts extend a short distance down'irito the ground 8 in'such manner as to be concealed and unobtrusive while forming active supports and being interconnected below' the surface by the concealed anchorage bars- 20 and 21, ensuring a proper spacing apart of the guide rail structures and their vertical disposition. In addition, there are means provided for reinforcing the rail structures in the form of outrigger base rails 22 and 23 parallel to, and respectively spaced outwardly from, the base rails 9' and 13 and connected thereto by the base'bar connectors24, 25 and 26, 27, respectively. At the ends, the rail structures are also connected at their upper guide rails 4 and 5 with outrigger rails 22 and 23 by inclined reinforcing bars 28, 29, and 3t), 31, respectively, while intermediate inclined reinforcing bars 32, 32, and 33, 33 likewise support the posts and rails from the outrigger rails 22 and 23 to ensure rigidity of the two opposed composite guide rail structures and thereby make certain that a clear road of travel will be presented to the runner 6 between the top guide rails 4 and 5 at all times.

However, thus far described, the purpose of the guide rail structures is not only to guide a runner along a given course or path, but to present certain resistance to his progress, as will now be considered more specifically. Thus, upon the inner sides of posts 11, 11 below top guide rail 4 are secured anchoring fixtures or mountings 34, 34 for resilient rubber or plastic resistance members 35, 35, etc., projecting into the path of travel of the runner at the level of the upper portions of his leg 36. In like manner, the inner sides of posts 14, 14 have similar fixtures or mountings 37, 37 with resilient resistance members 38, 38 projecting inward therefrom into the path between the top guide rails 4 and 5, and serving to present resistance to the forward movement of the upper portion of leg 39 of the runner.

Substantially at the junctions of lower guide rail 7 and posts 10, 10 are secured further fixtures or mountings 40, 40 with resilient resistance members 41, 41 at a lower level to offer resistance to the lower portion 42 of leg 36, While at the junctions of opposite lower guide rail 12 and posts 14, 15 are secured fixtures or mountings 43, 43 with resilient resistance members 44, 44 extending inwardly therefrom to offer resistance to forward movement of the lower portion 45 of the runners leg 39 during the running operation between the guide structures.

The rails, posts, bars, connecting members and reinforcing bars maybe made of solid or hollow metal bars or tubes and the rail structures made in sections to be taken apart and set up readily in any desired temporary location, while the resistance members may be made of live rubber or resilient plastic of the vinyl series or the like and made in the form of long fingers or paddles, if desired. v

It is thus evident that when the athlete 6 runs along the path located between the'top guide rails 4 and 5, he will encounter the paddle shaped resistance members 35, 35, '38, '38 at the upper level, and similar resistance members 41, 41, 44, 44 offering resistance to the legs at a lower level. This obviously makes it necessary to make forced effort to run through the apparatus and will require energy 'to even run, thereby providing the runner or player 6 with muscle-developing work. When he can run the length of the apparatus in a predetermined short time, he has, of course reached astandard of strength and speed of movement desired by the game leader.

The apparatus may be made in any length when assembled, and may be further anchored against shifting and spreading by means of the ground spikes 45, 45, secured to the outrigger base rails 22 and 23 by loops 46, 46 so that the apparatus is as strongly mounted in the ground as may be desired without being permanently anchored in place.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to, and parts and features may be modified or used without others within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully. described my invention, I claim:

1. A leg resistance runway of the character described, including a pair of substantially parallel'and separate top guide rails spaced a predetermined distance apart; separate ground supported means individually supporting each top guide rail to form two opposed parallel guide rail structures defining a running path between them for a runner; each ground supported means comprising a plurality of upright posts directly supporting each top guide rail, an individual base rail disposed a predetermined distance beneath and parallel to each top guide rail to which the upright posts are secured, an outrigger base rail spaced a predetermined distance outwardly from each top guide rail and its base rail, each top guide rail with its base rail and outrigger base rail being disposed at three points forming a triangle, inclined reinforcing bars and horizontal connecting bars securing each outrigger base rail to one of the top guide rails and its base rail and completing the triangular construction of each guide rail structure, a plurality of res ilient resistance members projecting inwardly over said path from the inner opposite sides of the two guide rail structures in effective positions to offer impeding resistance to thelegs of the runnerwhen running betweenv said guide rail structures, a plurality of separate fixtures secured upon the inner opposite sides of said two guide rail structures and individually supporting the'resilient resistance members; and a plurality of anchoring means for engaging with the ground and securing the ground supported means separately to the ground in fixed positions.

2. A leg resistance runway according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring means include rigid downward extensions upon the end posts at'the ends of the base rails, and transverse anchorage bars below the level of said base rails interconnecting the end posts of both guide rail structures underground at the lower extremities thereof.

3. A leg resistance runway according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of ground spikes are secured to the outrigger base rails by loops thereon.

Willimann Nov. 28, 1922 Brett June 10, 1930 

